Anyone who has ever seen a child playing inside a cardboard box knows that homemade toys are often the most fun. Homemade kids’ toys don’t have to be difficult to make – in fact having the kids help make easy projects can be part of the fun. Many homemade toys can be put together with things you have readily available in the house. Other toys can be made to last with items that are easy to get at your local craft or hardware store. This list of easy-to-make homemade toys should get your creative juices flowing.

Sock DollThis is a great project to make with an older child – and helps you use up stray socks. You will need:

Cut off the first ankle sock at the heel, stuff it, and sew up the bottom. It will look like a fat sausage with the toe of the sock as the head. Cut the second ankle sock in half horizontally, turn it inside out, and make a vertical cut up the center starting at the toe and stopping one inch from the cut end. Stitch the vertical cut closed on either side to form the two legs attached at the top. Turn the legs right side out, stuff them and sew the top of the legs closed. Sew the legs to the body. Repeat this step for the arms, but make them shorter. Cut all the way through the sock to make two separate arms. Sew them to the body about four inches from the top of the head. Take strong thread and sew ¼” stitches around the head just above the arms, pulling tight to form the neck. You can also do this by tying it off with string or ribbon.

Decorate the face with markers or embroidery thread. If the child is older, buttons make great eyes and clothing decorations. If you are using a sewing machine, take 12-inch lengths of colored yarn and sew them down the middle to a piece of scrap sock fabric. You can then hand sew this to the top of the doll’s head for hair. If you are sewing by hand, just sew the yarn directly to the top of the doll’s head. Braid it, tie it with ribbon or just let it hang loose. You can make clothes out of colored socks or felt – your imagination is the only limitation.

Toy BoatThere are many Internet sites and books that tell you how to make a toy boat. This is one of the easiest methods:

You will need:

* A block of balsa wood, approximately seven inches long.* A flat piece of balsa wood* Small knife* Glue* Small fishing weights

Draw a boat shape on the balsa block and carve it out. Scoop out the inside of the boat. Cut a 1 ¾ ” x 3 ¾” rectangle out of the flat balsa wood. Notch it at the bottom and cut a slight angle in one end. Glue two or three fishing weights to the bottom. Cut a groove in the bottom of the boat and glue the rectangle into it to form the keel. Spray it with silicone sealer to make it more waterproof.

An even easier version of this homemade toy is to make a Popsicle stick raft. Take two Popsicle sticks and set them lengthwise on the table. Glue other Popsicle sticks horizontally to these two to form a raft. This type of toy boat is perfect for floating in the tub or a wading pool.

Homemade PuzzleHave the child draw a picture on sturdy paper. Glue the paper to a piece of cardboard, making sure that you cover the entire surface with glue. When it has dried, draw puzzle shapes on the back and cut out with scissors. Kids love putting their own designs back together again. Make sure to store the pieces in a large zipper bag so that they don’t get lost.

Bottle of OceanTake a clear plastic bottle and fill it half full with water. Add a few drops of blue food coloring. Add vegetable oil until the bottle is 2/3 full and then add baby oil until the bottle is full. Glue the cap on tight, hold the bottle horizontally and shake the bottle gently to see the movement of your very own ocean. Baby oil can be toxic to young children, so make sure they can’t get to the contents.

Cardboard Box FortA large cardboard box can easily become a playhouse or puppet theater. If you haven’t had a refrigerator delivered lately, ask at appliance stores if they have any boxes to spare. Cut openings in the box for windows, doors or a stage and outfit it with curtains. Make the box even more special by painting it to look like a garden cottage.

Play ClayThis is one of the classic homemade children’s toys. This recipe makes about 10 cups, but you can adjust the recipe if you need less. You will need:

Mix the dry ingredients. Combine with the oil and water and knead in your mixer or by hand for 8-10 minutes. Divide the dough and add food coloring until you have the colors you want. You can roll it with a rolling pin and cut it with cookie cutters to make fun shapes. For older children, try pressing buttons and beads into the dough to make it more decorative. Store it in a plastic bag or make something fun and let it air dry until it is hard. This is a great way to make Christmas ornaments – just press an open paper clip into the top for a hangar before letting it dry.

Tin Can StiltsBack in the old days, we used large juice cans for this toy, but now you can use big coffee cans. You will need:

* Two large cans* Two six-foot pieces of rope* Can opener

Turn the cans over so that the open side is on the bottom. Punch two holes in the top of the can on opposite sides, and then punch a hole in the sides of the can just under those, taking care not to leave any sharp edges. Thread your rope through the holes and tie it at the right height for your child to grasp as handles. The child then stands on the cans and lifts them with the ropes as they walk. Happy stomping!

Homemade toys don’t have to be complicated to be fun. Look around your house for good materials for boats, dolls or forts. If you have space, set up a special drawer for “good recyclables” such as jars, bottles for rainy day activities. When the instructions are easy, get the child involved in making the toy – not only do they develop good skills such as sewing and measuring, but they just might appreciate the homemade toy a little bit too.

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